Laura Canada Lewis

Before dedicating her focus to mediations, Laura built a distinguished career in business, franchise and real estate law, earning national recognition as a Franchise Legal Eagle, a Super Lawyer, and one of the Best Lawyers in Texas. That background — spanning corporate and commercial matters, real estate and construction, and every facet of franchising — gives her a working fluency in the issues that drive commercial disputes, from contract and partnership conflicts to land title, development, and franchise relationship matters.

A Rare Dual Perspective

Few neutrals understand both sides of the franchise relationship the way Laura does. Having counseled franchisors on brand integrity, disclosure, regulatory compliance, and system enforcement — and having seen firsthand the real-world pressures franchisees face when terminations or disputes threaten their livelihoods — she is able to cut through the noise quickly. She addresses not just the legal issues on the table, but the underlying business and personal concerns that shape each party's ability to reach a practical resolution.

Even fewer neutrals understand both sides of construction and real estate disputes. Laura spent more than fifteen years in the field working as a construction contractor, builder, and real estate investor. Having this first hand, real "skin in the game" experience gives Laura insight to every facet of the complex real estate and construction playing field that is unlikely to be found elsewhere. She comes prepared to address the technical, legal, and relational issues that come with these disputes and help unravel the interconnected disputes among the various tiers of impacted players, such as owners, contractors, suppliers, subcontractors, and insurers.

Why Mediation

Laura knows from experience that the courtroom is rarely the best path for businesses in conflict. Litigation is expensive, slow, and unpredictable, and it often turns manageable disagreements into emotional and volatile events. Her career-long strength has been the opposite: negotiating creative solutions that resolve disputes before they spiral. As a mediator, that skill is now the entirety of her focus — guiding parties toward durable, business-minded settlements that preserve relationships, reputations, and resources.

Bar Admissions

• ▪Supreme Court of Texas
• ▪U.S. Northern District of Texas
• ▪U.S. Eastern District of Texas

Education

• ▪SMU Dedman School of Law, Juris Doctor, Cum Laude
• ▪University of North Texas, BAAS, Magna Cum Laude

Memberships & Committees

• ▪American Bar Association (ABA) – Business Law, Real Estate, Construction, Technology, Franchise, and Litigation Sections
• ▪Texas Bar Association – Real Estate, Construction, Native American Law, and Litigation Sections
• ▪Dallas Bar Association (DBA) – Business Law, Construction, Real Estate, and Franchise Sections
• ▪Collin County Bar Association
• ▪CREW Network (Commercial Real Estate Women)

Select Presentations & Publications

• ▪Just a Game? Adoption of Franchising in Esports, 39 Franchise L. J. 371 (Winter 2020).
• ▪Farheen Ibrahim and Laura Lewis, "Introduction to Franchising Law," Defense Research Institute (November 15, 2019)
• ▪"Answers to Five Questions your Client May Ask You When One of Their Franchisees File for Bankruptcy Protection." Jim Rea, Cheryl Mullin, and Laura Canada Lewis. DBA Headnotes, July 2018.
• ▪"Addressing the Rights of Unrecorded Rights of First Refusal, Options, and Leases in Title Conveyances." Laura Canada Lewis and Cheryl Mullin. National Business Institute, November 2017.
• ▪"Top 8 Title Defects – Cured." Live Presentation at NBI Title Education Conference, Dallas, Texas on November 2, 2017.
• ▪"Defense Counsel's Guide to DOL Investigations." Laura Canada Lewis and Farheen Ibrahim. DRI Retail & Hospitality News, October 2017.
• ▪"Protect Your Brand." Live presentation at the Texas Restaurant Association – Tool Box Talk, Dallas, Texas in March 2017.
• ▪"Pick Your Poison: Drafting Strong Arbitration or Litigation Clauses," Texas General Counsel Association, In-House Counsel Educational Forum (September 2016)
• ▪"Practical Strategies for Developing a Cyber Incident Plan." Business Law Journal; publication (August 2016)
• ▪"Franchising Law: Do You Know What You Are Doing?" presented and published by The Knowledge Group as a Live Webcast and white paper (June 21, 2016)
• ▪"Building a Data Breach Response Plan: Practical Solutions You Can Implement Today," Live Presentation to Dallas Bar Association, Computer Law Section (January 2016)
• ▪"PCI Compliance, Cyber Security and Incident Response Planning," Live Presentation to Texas In-House Counsel Summit (May 2015)

Contact Laura